


Happy Haunts Hotel

by SirenaRegina



Category: Original Work
Genre: Adventure, Anxiety, Anxiety Attacks, Cold Weather, Detective Work, Discovery, Escape, Europe, F/F, F/M, Fear, Forests, Gothic, Halloween, Haunting, Hotels, Manipulation, Mildly Dubious Consent, Multi, Mystery, Obsession, Running Away, Separation Anxiety, Sexual Tension, Snow, Snowed In, Stalking, Supernatural Elements, Survival, Suspense, Suspicions, Vampires
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-15
Updated: 2019-03-07
Packaged: 2019-09-19 15:10:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17004000
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SirenaRegina/pseuds/SirenaRegina
Summary: Bianca and Veronica have always been suckers for adventure, caution be damned. They've had their mishaps during their travels that they've been able to work around, but this time they aren't so sure. While backpacking through Eastern Europe they are lost in a small town that won't set foot outside at night, unable to locate their hostel. In their distress, they are offered another place to stay that is quite remote by a stranger they can't help but comply with. Never have they been faced with such strange people, and they aren't easily persuaded women. To understand what their hosts are hiding, they need to do some detective work, but what they uncover is certainly not their ideal sense of adventure. And they may hang up their hiking boots early, if they can find their way home.





	1. Don't Make Me Go to Sleep

**Author's Note:**

> Hey all! This is my first story to be published on this platform, so kudos and feedback are much appreciated. This story's warnings may change as we progress, but for now it's pretty general. After returning to college for the spring, updates may not be as regular, but I'll do my best. I hope you all enjoy!

“Can you please stop with your ghost stories? I’m actually starting to get freaked out.”

Veronica, oblivious to the fact that we are genuinely lost, continues with her story, “I’m almost done, I swear. Anyway, so my dad is almost completely alone on the whole floor, he’s just about to go to bed and he hears these kind of whimpering sobs. He’s on the lowest floor so he looks out the window thinking it’s coming from outside, but no one is there. He was staying in one of the rooms that has one of the doors that leads to the neighboring room, and he puts his ear on the door to try and listen, it’s obviously coming from that room. He knocks on the door, no answer, but the crying is starting to get louder. Dad goes to the reception desk to ask if anyone is staying there, and guess what the clerk says?”

I sigh, “What?”

“That room hadn’t been occupied for the last three years, the last person that stayed there was a woman who got reported missing two days before she checked in, but they never recorded her checking out.”

“V, please, can we focus on the fact that we are lost? It’s dark and both our phones are dead, aren’t you worried in the slightest?”

“Well, I kinda just am enjoying the walk-”

“We’re in a foreign fucking country. This is the absolute last thing we want to be doing at night!”

“Shh! Keep your voice down, you’ll wake people up.”

“Oh like that’s at the top of my list of problems right now. The only reason I haven’t been waking people up on purpose is because no one here speaks a lick of English, or Spanish, or Italian! I just want to find this fucking hotel, I’m tired and getting paranoid.” I lower my voice to a whisper only Veronica can hear, “It’s getting to the point where I think I see a guy following us, that’s where my anxiety is headed.”

“Right, what does this guy look like, Bianca?”

“Please don’t make me focus on that, V. It’s not going to-”

“No, please just tell me.”

“Fine, dressed in all black, nicely dressed from what I could make out through the fog, um, longish hair? Tied back I think. He’s tall, why do you ask?”

Veronica puts a finger to her lips, then points down the street behind and across from us. I slowly turn to look over my shoulder, and there my anxiety skyrockets. The man I describe doesn’t seem to be focusing on us at the moment, but I know for a fact he’s following us. I turn back to Veronica and a slight panic has seeped into her demeanor.

“Listen to me, hold my hand and just keep walking.” She nods and we hold onto each other as we begin a light speed walk deeper into the foggy town, with no idea where we are even supposed to be going.

“What places are open that we can duck into? It seems like this whole town has gone into hiding!”

“Hush! I know that, but we need to just keep moving, we’ll find someplace.”

“Are you sure?”

I can’t answer her question without startling her more, so I just pull her along at a faster pace. We turn down a street that seems more lit up than the rest of the town, and as we listen we can hear voices. A pub! I let go of her, “Run, _rapido_!” Both of us sprint towards the light, but just as we approach, the owners shut the door and turn the neon signs off, the last few people rush home, as if to get away from us. “Shit!” They don’t even look back as I vent my frustration.

Veronica climbs the stairs and pounds on the door, receiving no answer, “No, no, no! This can’t be fucking happening…”

“Alright, calm down, we’re smart so we can figure this out.” I sit on the stairs with her, our hands clasped together.

“What if we’re still being followed?”

“Shh, keep quiet so I can hear.” Out of instinct from my Hispanic and Italian heritage, I unlace my hiking boot and get a firm grip on it, ready to swing at the poor soul who decided to fuck with us. The only light I have to see are the street lamps, but even those are dulled significantly in the fog. My anxious mind begins to make shapes out of the swirls in the fog, but I can’t hear any footsteps so I assume we’re safe.

After some time, I lean into Veronica, “Do you want to at least try turning your phone on? Maybe we’ll get lucky and figure out where to go.” I hope this provides as some sort of distraction for her, because I’d rather us try to find our way around rather than sit and wait to see who has been following us.

This night could not have been more poorly timed, first we miss our ride into town, so we have to wait for another that didn’t get us into the vicinity till roughly midnight, our phones are both pieces of shit and died on us halfway through the bus ride here, the bus didn’t even drop us off in the right part of town! I could hardly understand him, but from the sound of his urgency to leave I assume it has something to do with superstition. So we’ve been wandering this town (which is much larger than I previously thought) for about an hour with no sense of where we should go to find our hotel. I swear we’ve been walking in circles at this point. The fog sure as hell isn’t helping either.

Veronica lets out a grunt as her phone shuts off on her as she attempts to type in her password, “Damnit! It’s no use… what are we going to do?”

I focus on a shape in the distance, but I still answer her, “We’ll be fine… there’s gotta be a police station around here somewhere.” I blink and the shape is gone. Fuck. Veronica rests her head on my shoulder and I rest my head on top of hers, both of us exhausted and ready to give up. All I can do is continue to look around slowly, yet there is still nothing. I close my eyes for what seems like a few minutes, but they dart open as I feel cold fingers brush my cheek. Without warning I swing my boot at whoever decided touching me was a good idea and heard a cry of pain as the leather sole made contact with flesh.

“Bianca, what’s-!”

“Behind me!” Veronica is flush against my back as I aim my “weapon” at the person on the ground. “Who are you and what are you trying to pull?” My heart races faster as I realize the person I just hit is the man that was following us. I remain in a firm defensive stance as he picks himself up, he rubs his jaw and winces as his fingers brush over the skid mark I left on his left cheek.

“What am I trying to pull? For starters I’m trying to pull myself back together, that hurt!”

“That’s the point. Wait, you speak English.”

He raises an eyebrow, “Yes, I do. Precisely why I was following you.”

“You realize this is not making me any more calm, right?”

“May I please finish?” I glance at Veronica who is just as confused as I am before I nod for him to continue. “Good, I overheard that you two are lost, only now realizing it would have been in my best interest to confront you sooner. To get to the point, why don't I offer you both a place at my own hotel? You'd surely be more comfortable there than out here, cold and all alone.”

His eyes held a soft and genuine concern, but I wouldn't bite so easily. “If this is just some elaborate scheme to either actually up-sell your hotel or try to lure us off somewhere so you can-”

“I assure you,” he takes two confident steps forward, surprised that I don't budge, “that I offer no safer hospitality. You'll be well taken care of.”

Veronica holds onto my shoulders tight, “Why not just point us in the direction of the hotel we were supposed to stay at? We've already paid for it.”

His attention turns to Veronica, who seems much less confident under his intense gaze, “I could make arrangements to reimburse you, should you choose to stay with us. And I won't lie, I am a businessman so your staying with us would be much appreciated.”

“If you plan to charge us more than we have already paid, then you're out of luck,” she continues, “we're not cut from fancy cloth.”

“Oh, I have no such intentions, I may be a businessman but I am not heartless. We could simply transfer your deposit from your original hotel to us, keep it as headache free as possible.”

The more we talk, the more I crave just to lay down in a bed. I just about give into his sales pitch out of exhaustion, and I know Veronica is thinking the same thing. As much as I'd rather decline the offer and press on towards our hotel, the likelihood of us reaching it before we both decide to sleep outside is dwindling.

“Or,” he continues, “you can keep searching. It's really up to you how you'd rather spend the night.”

“May Veronica and I have a moment alone to discuss this?” He gives a curt not, and we step away. We move out of earshot, and I begin. “I really don’t know about this, V. This is exactly what people say to avoid. This guy could run a hotel built for cannibals for all we know.”

“I know, I know, but what’s our alternative? We’re still lost and what is there for us to do other than wander and possibly wait for someone crazier to come along and snatch us, it sounds too good to be true-”

“Probably because it is-”

“But do you have any better ideas? I’d love to hear them, Bianca. Now would be the best time.”

I huff in frustration, because how in the nine levels of Xibalba could our luck turn upside down so fast? Everything has been perfect up until this point, and being out on the street this late at night in a foreign country is not my idea of adventure.

“You really think this is what we should do?” I ask, keeping my eyes on the man over Veronica’s shoulder who is casually leaning against a lamppost, staring back at me.

“At this point, I don't care if I get any sleep. I just want to lay in an actual bed. I don't care if we leave at the crack ass of dawn, I'm so sore!”

Finally I cave. “Alright, fine. We'll take up the night manager’s offer, but I swear if I find anything freaky going on, I'll not only have his head but yours as well. ¿ _Comprende_?”

“ _Claro_ , _Señora_.”

I take the lead in confronting our nighttime salesman. “Your lucky day, we'll bite.”

“Excellent! I assure you, my dears, you will not be disappointed. You both look absolutely exhausted. My name is Lucian, by the way. I apologize for not getting introductions out of the way sooner.” He tries to be cute and cup my cheek, but I reach for my boot again and he stops.

“How exactly do we get to this hotel of yours?” Veronica asks.

“Simple,” he walks down the street, deeper into the fog, “my driver is just down the road.” Veronica and I share a nervous glance at one another, still a bit reluctant to follow him. “I won’t bite, girls, no sense in delaying your arrival any further.”

Unable to find a valid reason to stay put, we follow. Lucian waves is arm nearest the road, but there’s nothing there, or so we think. Before I question his vision, headlights illuminate the fog and make their way towards us. The car is old, I wanna say a 1930s model, beautifully polished and built sturdy, pitch black. The driver is masked in shadow, but I can tell he’s of heavier stature through the windshield. This isn’t the type of Uber we’re used to, but for our circumstances it’s better than nothing.

Lucian opens the back seat for us, “After you, ladies.”

Veronica holds onto my arm, making it clear we won’t be separated. I keep my eyes on Lucian as we enter the back seat and even after she shuts the door. The driver has not addressed us, but acknowledges Lucian as if he’s a prince. “It is good to see you back, sir. Who are the lovely tarts you’re bringing home with us?”

He casually makes chatter with the driver while examining his injured cheek in the mirror, “Two of our newest guests, treat them nicely, Gor. And they are not tarts, they have names.” Lucian turns back, I gasp at the sight of his cheek, almost like I never hit him. “Where are my manners tonight? I’ve neglected to ask your names.”

I am nearly frozen, even in the dim light I can see the redness has subsided from his face. Veronica gives me a nudge, “Introduce yourself, damnit.”

“Hi… I’m Bianca… how did-”

“And I’m Veronica.”

Lucian’s face lights up in a warm smile. “A pleasure to be on a first name basis. Bianca, my dear, you were asking something?”

With everyone staring at me, I tend to lose my focus, and my question goes under the radar. “What? Oh, forget about it. I’m just tired, sorry.”

“Quite alright, we’ll get you into rooms as soon as possible. For now you may sleep if you wish, it is a bit of a drive.”

The look on Veronica’s face says nothing would make her happier than catching a few z’s on the way there, but she’s determined not to oblige until we’re in a room. I give her a nod and my hand. “We’ll stay awake.”

Lucian shrugs and makes himself comfortable. “Suit yourself. Let’s get a move on, Gor.” The old car's engine rumbles as Gor starts it up, then we are on our way at a leisurely pace. I take Veronica's hand in mine and squeeze, both of us trying to stay awake.

Our view is mostly obstructed by the fog, but Gor seems to be able to navigate as if it were broad daylight. Soon the lights disappear, leaving only the headlights as a light source. I can feel my head start to sink and my eyelids droop, and my grip on Veronica loosens; it’s not what I want to do, but going to sleep just sounds so nice… If I could close my eyes just for a minute…

We hit a bump in the road, which sends my head slamming against the window. “Fuck!”

Lucian peeks into the back seat. “Oh dear, are you alright, Bianca?”

I rub my head, surprised I didn’t crack the window. “I guess, did we hit a pothole or something?”

“No, the hotel is a bit… off road.”

_What?_

“And you didn’t tell us that earlier because… ?”

He shrugs again and says, “I’m not perfect, I forget things sometimes.” Lucian turns back around and the silent ride continues.

I shake Veronica’s hand to get her attention, but get no response. Again I shake her, this time with a bit more vigor, still nothing. I sneak a glance at her and she is fast asleep against the window! I guess I can’t blame her. Soon I can feel my heart racing, but I do my best to control my breathing, the last thing I need is to show that I am beginning to panic. To calm myself, I focus on looking out the window despite there not being much to see. Eventually the road smooths out some and the fog thins. We seem to be driving through a wooded area, but there’s still no sign of any hotel.

“How much longer?” I ask.

“Still quite a ways, I highly implore you get some rest.” Lucian takes on a more adamant tone, not helping my anxiety much.

I don’t want to fight him or make him angry, so I just keep quiet. I wrap my jacket around me as tightly as I can, trying to gain a sense of comfort. There’s not much to be done other than sit and wait for the ride to end, but no matter how long I force myself to stay awake, it seems like we are going nowhere! Part of me wants to succumb to exhaustion, but the other wants to stay alert and make sure nothing happens to us. There isn’t much to do though, nothing but let the gentle vibrations of the car lull me into a calm and dreamless slumber.


	2. I'm Tryin'... I'm Tryin' to Sleep!

A sudden shiver runs down my spine, like stepping out into the cold without the proper jacket to protect me. My teeth chatter and I’m struggling to keep my eyes closed, I know wrapping my clothing around me tighter will only disturb my sleep, so I try to ignore the chill. 

Soon I can hear music, smooth and sensual jazz, usually what I listen to while I relax or sleep. The music is mixed with voices and rumbling engines, making sleep that much harder to maintain. 

“It’s time to wake up, Bianca.”

“Five more minutes, Dad…” It’s too early for school.

A chuckle, “Bianca, I’m not your father, we’ve arrived at the hotel. Please wake up, dear.” I feel knuckles brush on my cheek and I lazily try to swat them away, but my wrist is caught and shaken. “Wake up.”

My eyes open with no hesitation at the command, and my heart rate picks up as my brain tries to catch up with my now very alert body. “What-? Where the hell… ? Veronica?”

“Veronica is outside waiting for you, come.”

My brain is still not registering what is going on, next thing I know I’m on my feet and at the foot of the stairs next to Veronica, clutching her arm so I won’t topple over. She grips on to my biceps and shakes the sleep out of me. “Hey! You with me?”

Finally I can respond and take in my surroundings, and I’m awestruck. “V, I’m fine! But where… are-”

“I told you I’d bring you to my hotel, didn’t I?”

Veronica and I huddle close, she says, “Yeah… but-”

“But what?” Lucian steps in front of us, anxious to hear our answer. I don’t know what it is about this guy, but he radiates danger. Also charisma. I can smell trouble on him, yet I can’t do anything to protest.

“I don’t think we expected your hotel to be this… extravagant.”

Not going to lie, I’m beyond impressed by the  _ castle  _ in front of us. A grand stone staircase leads up do a beautifully lit entrance surrounded by foliage. The lights cast a golden hue onto the stone, almost blinding. Large windows dot the stone, even going up onto some of the towers. People all around us are dressed to the nines, so much so that Veronica and I feel out of place. It looks like Lucian brought us here the night of a ball, or something. We look down at our faded jeans and tank tops, unsure of how to make ourselves discrete. The hotel looks like a castle out of a fairytale, but there’s something about its energy that makes us uneasy. Veronica leans close and asks, “So… what do you think the catch is?”

“In all honesty, I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s some kind of cult hidden up here. When was the last time you saw a hotel this far out in the mountains? Or wherever the hell we are…” I examine the area around us: down the driveway, out into the forest, above the treeline to see if there are any other mountains visible. Nothing. It’s like we’re in a snowglobe on a collector’s top shelf.  _ Damnit. _

“Ladies, right this way.” Lucian beckons us to follow him up the dozens of stairs to the main lobby. Veronica hooks her arm into mine, she’s always had a more difficult time concealing her discomfort, hopefully people won’t register it as actual fear.

If we had come here knowing this place existed, I’d be much more keen to admire its beauty. Right now I’m solely focussing on Lucian; he’s calm, collected, confident, and undoubtedly has some sort of hidden motive. Nothing seems too out of the ordinary at the moment, but I’m determined to find out exactly what he’s up to. He stops to open the door for us and notices Veronica latching onto my arm. His look of contentment turns into slight concern. “Are you unwell, Veronica?”

I can feel her hands shaking. “N-no, I’m ok. I just want to get some rest, and it’s cold up here…”

“Forgive me for taking so long, I’ll get you both settled as soon as possible. Just through here, please.”

I go through the door first, Veronica right behind me. I do my best to keep my eyes firmly on the checkered tiles below me, not wanting to give any attention to the pristine lobby. Veronica whispers, “To be fair, it is really nice in here.”

“I know, which is why I’m just trying to focus on getting checked in and hiding away for the rest of the night. We can’t make it seem like we’re overjoyed to be here, he’ll never want us to leave!” I scold her for trying to make light of anything that has happened so far. As we approach the reception desk, I realize I may have been a bit too harsh. “Sorry, V, I didn’t mean to snap at you. This is all just so… unusual.”

“I get it, B, but being on our guard doesn’t mean you’ve gotta be such a  _ perra _ . If you’re too angry then they won’t stop hounding you about trying to make your stay better.”

I chuckle, “Point made and noted. Let’s just get this over with, we both need some sleep.”

Lucian steps in front of us and says to the night manager, “These ladies have had an awfully tough day, will you set them up with tower suites, please? We will handle their payments in the morning.”

“Wait, wait, wait, buddy, we don’t have that kind of money! We can only afford one room with what we’ve paid for at the hostel. Tower suites are way out of our range.” What the hell is this guy thinking? We’ve already told him we aren’t made of money!

“Bianca, please. With the amount of revenue this hotel brings in yearly, I can let you stay in these suites for free and not need to worry about cutting corners on my employees’ paychecks.” Lucian’s smirk is not only infuriating, it’s like he’s mocking us! You’re rich, we get it! Don’t make us look like sad dolls left out in the rain.

I exhale sharply and my nostrils flare. “Fine, but why give us two? We don’t need a whole suit to ourselves; one will work, I’m sure.”

Now Lucian is starting to get agitated. “Must you make this so difficult, Bianca? Is this how you act when people just try to be nice?”

“I don’t know what the hell this is, but I know for a fact it’s more than just “nice”. You’re up to something and I’m going to-”

“Time out!” Veronica jumps between me and Lucian, waving her arms to distract us from wanting to kill each other. She grips my bicep tight and gives an awkward smile. “Can Bianca and I have a moment please?” She drags me away from the desk, and onto a black leather couch in the middle of the lobby. “Are you out of your mind? You’re gonna get us thrown out! Or worse!”

“How am I the problem here? You see  _ nothing  _ suspicious about this?” My voice begins to rise, and I can feel my composure slipping. 

“Of course I do! Please keep your voice down. Listen, I know this is going to be hard for you to process, but there is no winning for us. All that matters is that we make it through with as little of a struggle as possible. So please, for the love of all that is holy, can you try and accept the situation we are in. Fighting it will only get us nowhere, and I’d  _ really  _ like to get some sleep, even if that means being on opposite ends of this castle.”

My jaw drops at her sudden mom tone. There is nothing I can say that would be productive in this argument, no matter how much I want to win. She’s right, if we want a bed to sleep in tonight, we have to accept what is presented to us. I guess the only thing securing the faith I have in Veronica is that she realizes there is something fishy going on, and if we’re on the same page, then I can rest a little easier knowing I’m not crazy. I haven’t even taken into consideration our exhaustion, of course we’d be at a disadvantage. It kills my pride to do so, but I cave.

Veronica takes my hand and lowers her voice so only I can hear, “We’re in this together, good, bad, and ugly.”

“Devil has a contract, let’s go sign it.” We end up back at the desk, Lucian looks impatient while the receptionist looks confused. I take a deep breath and start, “We will take the suites, and I’m… sorry for snapping. I’m just exhausted and easily agitated, I hope you understand.”

His expression brightens, “All is forgiven, my dear. No sense in delaying any longer,” Lucian takes two gold keys from the receptionist, “follow me.” We head down the hall, past another large staircase, and to where the elevators are. The doors open and a group of people dressed like 1920s party goers exit, shooting Veronica and I looks of confusion. Lucian nudges us into the elevator, sensing our slight discomfort with the other guests. “Please don’t mind them, I may cater to them, but I’m aware they are quite stuck up, for lack of a better term.”

“It’s nothing we can’t deal with,” says Veronica, “it’s only for the night. Or however long we’re booked for…” She looks to me, eyebrows knit together in uncertainty.

“We were booked for a week at the other place, I assume it’s the same here? Maybe a day or two less.” I say, propping myself against the corner and trying to keep myself awake. I can feel my eyelids droop as we rise floor by floor.

Veronica rubs against my side. “You’re freezing, get a warm shower before you sleep.” I only yawn in response. “Just don’t get too comfortable.”

“Why would you not? Are we truly that repulsive?” Lucian’s comment has me wide awake, not because I’m scared of him, but because he actually sounded hurt.

“That’s not what I meant!” Veronica sunk back against the wall. I tug on her arm, keeping her silent.

“No, you’re not. We just want to go the fuck to sleep.”

The elevator doors slide open, and Lucian holds them open for us. “So be it.” I shove Veronica out into the hall first, then Lucian leads us to the left of the elevator first. The corridor only goes two ways, and only two doors seem to be present on the entire floor. Our footsteps echo off of the stone until we stop in front of a heavy wooden door; Lucian holds out the key to Veronica. “I would have given you a full tour of the room, but since you are so eager to retire for the night, I won’t pester you any longer, dear Veronica.”

Her face flushes with embarrassment as she takes the key and unlocks the door. Once she has it open, she turns to me and hugs me goodnight. “Stop by in the morning before breakfast, ok?” I only nod in response. After the door closes, another chill rushes over me and I shudder.

“Oh dear, you must be freezing. Come, your room is just in the opposite direction.” Lucian’s hand ghosts the small of my back to urge me forward. With every step, my heart begins racing at the thought of being alone. I know Veronica is just down the hall, but we can’t continue to cower until we leave. I breathe through my mouth as I overthink, and Lucian takes notice. We stop right in front of my door and he gets a strong hold of my shoulders, making my breath hitch. “Bianca, please, know that I am doing my best to make you as comfortable as possible, yet you are not very receptive. What can I do to ease your nerves?”

All I can do is stare into his eyes, my brain and mouth aren’t exactly cooperating. My hands instinctively rest on top of his, wanting to feel some kind of warmth, but I’m met with ice and I pull away. “Y-you’re so cold…”

He snickers, from amusement or embarrassment I can’t tell. “It is rather unfortunate. I would have offered my company, but I assume you’d rather not be burdened with someone so… frigid.” I can’t help but laugh at his comment, and I hate to admit he does have some charm. He seems pleased with himself to have made me laugh. “Ah, so she does enjoy flirting. Looks like I have found a way to ease your nerves. Anyway,” he hands me my key, and I’m careful not to let our hands touch, “I shall leave you in peace. Pleasant dreams.” Lucian takes off before I let myself in, and I don’t close the door until he disappears into the elevator.

I struggle to find the lightswitch, but when I do I’m in awe of my quarters. It’s practically its own apartment! In front of me is a fully furnished living room and dining room, the kitchenette is up against the right wall next to an archway leading to a small guest room. On either side of the living room are two narrow spiral staircases; I decide to climb the one on the left first and it leads me to the master bedroom. The room is enormous and consists of a king size four poster bed, a chest at the foot of it, a wardrobe on the adjacent wall, tall windows with heavy velvet curtains, and an ornate fireplace straight across from the bed. A dressing table and vanity sit between two windows. All my brain is able to coordinate my mouth to say is, “Holy shit”. As much as I love the place, all the logical part of my brain can focus on is where the trap is, and my gut is hardly wrong. 

I set my backpack on top of the chest, my shoulders crack and ache as I roll them. I’m so conflicted about how to feel and what to do, but exhaustion and physical pain are starting to override my train of thought. 

Bath time.

Curiosity leads me to the door near the bed, and I’m delighted to find a bathroom on the other side. I’m pretty impressed by how original everything looks, it’s a very medieval style of bath: like everything else in the suite it is built from blocks of stone, the tub itself appears to be built right into the stone with steps leading right to its edge, the shower and sink are the only real signs of modern technology. A sharp chill hangs in the air, and nothing sounds better than sitting in the tub and warming my bones through.

Before I undress, I turn the tub on and make sure the water is a comfortable temperature. The water warms rather quickly, emitting a nice steam into the room. I lift my tank top over my head and throw it into a hamper near the towel rack, soon my jeans and socks follow, leaving me only in my undergarments. I take out my hair from its messy bun atop my head and let the curls roll down my back; I pause and wonder if the task of washing and going through my usual routine with my curls is worth it tonight, ultimately I push myself to say no and tie it back up.

The tub is just about full, and I strip off the rest of my clothing and toss them into the hamper as well. I shut the faucet off and carefully lower myself into the water. Oh god, a bath has never felt  _ so _ good before. My muscles cease their aching as I sink up to my chin in the water; I start to knead my calves, thighs, and occasionally my lower back. Veronica and I have been on the road for a solid two days, and 75% of that has been walking, so no wonder we both feel like  _ abuelitas _ .

I let my head fall against the edge of the tub and close my eyes, listening to the occasional swish of water as I shift. The steam clears up my sinuses which have been acting up all night from the chill outside, come to think of it I may have seen a bit of snow outside the hotel. Great, the last thing we need is to be shut in by a storm. I pray we’re out before anything too drastic hits us… 

A slight rattle of metal catches my attention. The only thing in my line of sight that could have made such a sound is a door across the room; I assume it leads to the other spiral staircase. Perhaps the wind is shaking the door, but the shadows beneath the door tell me otherwise. My breath hitches in my throat, who the hell could have followed me in here? I locked the door! And I couldn’t be in a more vulnerable state, fucking perfect. Suddenly the bath doesn’t feel so warm.

From what is visible, whoever is on the other side of the door is just standing there, occasionally shifting their weight from one leg to the other. Are they waiting for me to open the door? To talk? 

Or is Lucian just being a dick and playing a trick on me?

“Oh, you son of a bitch.” I exit the tub and wrap a towel around myself, keeping my distance from the door. “Lucian I swear to god if that’s you, we are leaving tonight!” No response. “Whoever you are, this isn’t funny! Can’t you people just leave me the fuck alone?!”

A loud bang echoes through the bathroom followed by what sounds like someone falling down the stairs. I rush to the door and peer down the stairs, and I catch the glimpse of a shadow heading for the door. As bad of an idea it is to follow, simply hiding in my room and falling asleep is equal parts stupid. When I reach the bottom of the stairs and peek into the living room, it’s dead silent, or so it appears. I grab hold of one of the pokers from the fireplace and inch closer to the middle of the room. Shit, if this is how night one is going, what’s the rest of the week going to be like?

Then I stop and think, is the same thing happening to Veronica? Or am I just the bad luck dump?

I can hear shuffling now, but it’s not in with me. It’s outside. There are angry voices bickering too, and I rush to the door to see who the hell is tormenting me. I boil with rage as I see Lucian not far from my door, looking out the bridge windows.

“You!”

He turns back to me, his hands up in defense. “I swear this is not what you think.”

“Why are you here?! Clearly I want to be left alone, and you want to play games with me? What kind of host are you?!” I’m so furious, I forget the only thing between me and losing my dignity is a towel.

“Please, Bianca, I am only here to keep my guests safe.”

“Good job with that! There was someone in my room not even five minutes ago!”

“And I have taken care of the situation!”

“Wait… how did you know someone else was even on this floor?”

Lucian regains some of his composure, looking less flustered. “After I stepped out, I noticed not too long after someone else had taken the elevator to this floor. I knew waiting for the elevator would probably make it too late to take action, so I ran up the fire escape.” He beckons me over to show me the door I had missed leading to the fire escape, but I don’t move far from my door. “Your door was ajar, but please do not worry yourself, you are safe now.”

I steady my breathing and say, “That doesn't exactly make me feel any better…”

He sighs, “Then what would you have me do?” My mouth opens, but no words come out. I don't know what I want him to do, I don't know what he can do. Lucian takes tentative steps towards me, his hands turned out as if he wants me to take them. “Perhaps, you will accept my company tonight after all?”

I look into his eyes, and to my surprise they harbor no malicious intent. He's quite upfront, but isn't pushing himself to the point where he makes me feel unsafe. Quite frankly, for as strange as he is, he's probably one of the only people on this mountain I'm somewhat trustworthy of. He's not failed on any of his promises, not yet at least. 

“I can't believe I'm saying this… but yes, I'd like you to stay. Only tonight!”

I step aside and let Lucian into my room. He notices the trail of wet footprints on the floor and can't help but snicker. “I apologize, were you in the middle of bathing?”

“What gave it away? The water on the floor or the fact I’m standing in front of you wearing only a towel?” 

He chuckles and says, “Well, I am here to make you comfortable, so what is it you wish me to do for you?”

I pull the towel tighter against me, unsure of how to proceed with the night. Even though I’d like to continue with a warm bath, I can feel the adrenaline starting to wear off. “I think… I think I just want to go to sleep. Stay in the room with me?”

A mischievous smile dances across his lips, “Oh, we’ll be getting quite well acquainted with each other, won’t we?”

“You’ll be in the room with me, but we won’t be speaking. I need sleep, so please just let me have this.” I step past him, toss the poker back into the fireplace, and dash up the stairs leading to the bathroom. Once I dry myself off and drain the tub, I enter the bedroom, still only in a towel, to find Lucian pulling back the heavy comforter and sheets for me.

“I do hope this bed proves comfortable enough for you considering how your night has been going. Sincerest apologies, my dear. If this means anything to you at all, you and your friend may dine with me whenever you wish, it’s the least I can do. Come to think of it, my sister would be delighted to meet you as well. Perhaps tomorrow you will run into her.”

“Do you and your sister run this place together?” I slide under the comforter and take off the towel, folding it and handing it to Lucian. It’s pretty dark in the room so I’m not too shy about what is covered or not.

Lucian’s laugh echoes off the stone. “Noel? Manage a hotel of this magnitude? Oh that’s rich! That girl can barely manage her clothing store properly. She’s my sister and I love her beyond death, but there’s a reason I’m always running around.”

I chuckle at the familiarity of his tone. “You sound like me when I have to work with my little brother. There’s nothing quite as unique as sibling rivalry.” 

“Glad we’re on the same page for once, Bianca. Now, I believe it’s time you get the sleep you’ve been so desperately searching for. I will be gone by sunrise, just so you are aware.”

I lay back and pull the covers up to my chest. “Thank you, Lucian. Sorry I’ve been such a pain all night.”

“Think nothing of it, you are right to have your suspicions. Know that as your host, it is my job to make sure my guests are taken care of.” Lucian kisses his hand, then brushes that hand against my face. “Sweet dreams.”

The motion is quite startling, but not uncomfortable. If anything, the action seems to calm me enough to where my eyelids will want to remain closed. Before I can reply, Lucian goes to stand near a window at the far end of the room. All is quiet for some time, then the sound of dress shoes against stone pull me back to consciousness. I say nothing, it will only disrupt my sleep further, but when it happens again I speak up. “Lucian, please stop moving. Lay on the bed or something, but keep your distance.”

“Are you sure you’d not prefer some intimate contact? You’ll sleep much better.” I feel the mattress dip near my feet.

“I’m sure.”

He sighs, “As you wish.”

I’m not exactly sure where he is on the bed, but he’s far enough away so I can drift off peacefully. Again for some strange reason, I’m unable to dream, but perhaps that is for the best. I’m far too exhausted to worry about the obscure, and sometimes rather unspeakable, stories my brain usually comes up with.


	3. Little Mischief Maker

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo!! So I'm back after after a long absence! College has been more than stressful along with personal life events. But here I am with another chapter for you all! Comments and feedback is much appreciated. As always, enjoy!

No surprise, the next morning I woke up alone. At least Lucian kept his word and left before I got up and about. The only strange thing about the morning was the note he left on the chest which read:

 _Dearest_ _Bianca,_

_I hope you will accept this small gift as an apology for the events of last night. My sister and I have gathered both you and Veronica clothes more suited for life here in the hotel, we hope you enjoy them._

_~Lucian_

Well what a damn gentleman. I'm not even going to worry about how the clothes got into my room or who put them all away in the wardrobe.

Nor am I complaining.

Gotta admit, the clothes are certainly an upgrade from what Veronica and I originally had planned to wear for the week. Whoever picked them out certainly has a thing for 40s and 50s style, some pieces even look vintage. Today I'm starting off with dark navy sailor pants, red ruffle button up blouse, and white Oxford flats. How they got the sizing right, not even gonna go there. It is what it is.

Before I leave my room, I note the time and grab my wallet to make sure we haven't missed breakfast. It's a little after 9am, so it shouldn't be very crowded by the time we settle into a restaurant. I make sure my door is securely locked, damn near ripping the handle off, before heading across the hall to meet Veronica.

Part of me wonders if this is all one vivid dream, or maybe I'm actually dead and this hotel is full of ghosts and I'm struggling to accept the afterlife. My money is on the vivid dream, because I'm not too sure I'd end up in such a nice place after I kick the bucket. Or maybe I'm overthinking and we are still in Eastern Europe coerced into staying in some fancy shmancy hotel by some guy who is too handsome for his own good.

While overthinking, again, I forget my objective is to knock on Veronica's door and not slam face first into it until it's too late. Veronica laughs from inside and opens the door to find me rubbing my nose. “Good morning, sunshine,” she teases, “half your brain is still in Lala Land, I see?”

“Shut up, Veronica.” I inspect her outfit, a simple quarter sleeve black swing dress and kitten heels. “You got the Bettie Page upgrade too?”

“Yes! And I'm loving it! Lucian had a note sent up with the clothes earlier this morning.” She jumps back into her living room to admire herself in the mirror.

“Certainly was nice of him, by the way, I need to tell you something about last night.”

Her voice drops, “Everything ok?”

“ _Sí_ , I'm fine now. Come on, let's head down and I'll tell you on the way.”

With a nod, Veronica locks her door behind us and we head to the elevator. She's already burning with questions. “So, how did you sleep? Get any use of the bath? Isn't the whole place just beautiful?!”

“Veronica, please slow down. Yes, I love the place, but something happened last night while I was in the bath.”

She stops, holds the elevator door in place and flips her tone again. “Are you hurt?”

“No, I'm fine, but I think there was someone in my room last night. I didn't at all see who they were, by the time I reached the front door they had disappeared. Lucian was out in the hall-”

“What did he want?”

I usher her into the elevator and we descend to the ground floor. “He said that he saw someone use this elevator and he followed them up the fire escape. Like I said, I only saw him in the hall.”

Veronica stands in deep thought until the doors open and we exit. “I didn't hear anything, what time did this all go down?”

“Not sure, all I know is that I was in the middle of a bath, so standing in front of him with only a towel was pretty awkward. I doubt it was long after we first settled in.”

We follow the signs posted around the lobby leading to the restaurant breakfast is served in, which takes us underground. At the bottom of the stairs, an archway marks the entrance to a large wine cellar looking restaurant, very old fashioned and rustic. We take a table isolated from the center and against a corner, away from any curious ears.

“ _So what else happened?_ ” Veronica asks in a hushed tone, slipping into Spanish so we can have a bit more privacy.

My eyes scan the room, and I only note the staff roaming around, a mere three people. “ _After I freaked out on him, we… reached an understanding_.”

“ _Meaning_ … _?_ ”

While trying to formulate how to deliver the information of the night before in Spanish, I realize no matter how it comes out, it's going to sound weird. “ _He uh… he offered to stay the night_ .” Her face drops, but says nothing, expecting the story is only going down from here. “ _Ok, it's not what you think. Nothing happened_.”

“ _So, what? He just sat in the corner like some guardian angel?_ ”

“ _Uh… that's pretty accurate. He sat on the bed, actually. Veronica, I swear nothing more happened. I was just so tired… I couldn't stand to be awake any longer._ ”

Eventually a waiter comes over to take our orders, when he leaves there isn’t much sound that follows. We’re still the only customers in the restaurant.

She sighs when he’s out of earshot, “ _I believe you, but that was… quite a change of heart. I'm just shocked is all. Did you guys talk?_ ”

“ _Not much, but he said he feels bad about what's going on with us, so we can eat with him and his sister whenever we want. Better than nothing, I guess_.”

“ _A sister?_ ”

I nod. “ _Said she runs a clothing store or something; I hope it’s more alive than this place_.”

V switches back to English now that the serious talk is over. “Yeah, what’s up with this? It’s like 9:30, are people still fucked up from last night?”

“V, _I’m_ still fucked up from last night. Quite frankly I’m glad there’s nobody around, their staring made my skin crawl last night.” The moment my breakfast is set in front of me, I almost choke while scarfing down an egg. “Shit!”

“Slow down! I know it’s been a while since we’ve had anything other than protein bars for breakfast, but Jesus.”

I throw a napkin at her face to shut her up and continue eating. The entire time we eat not another soul enters the restaurant. As we finish up and get the bill, I’m surprised at how cheap everything is. Great, so we won’t have to wash dishes in exchange for meals this time. We end up back in the lobby looking for a way to the shopping center; the signs point to another flight of stairs going back underground. My guess as to why everything practical is underground is to preserve as many rooms as possible for guests, not to mention the ball room.

Sconces with detailed artificial candles line the walls on the way down, almost like a dungeon. The further down we go, the more the temperature drops. We reach the bottom of the stairs and both of us are shaking; I swear, one of us is going to get frostbite. Veronica latches onto me to make use of my body heat.

“Are these people walking ice sculptures? Why the fuck is it so cold?”

“You’re guess is as good as mine, let’s go buy hoodies or something.” I drag her through the tunnel of shops, most of them selling clothing ranging from business casual to MET Gala. There’s one lingerie store so far, a couple perfume departments, but no place to buy a fucking hoodie. Mind you, we’ve only passed about 10 out of 100ish stores. And yet, for all the tenants we ran into last night, we’ve seen none of them out yet.

We stop in front of a massive Victorian fountain, gargoyle like creatures make up the vast majority of its structure. I urge Veronica to examine it with me. “Kind of gruesome for a shopping center, don’t you think?”

“Certainly seems out of place, if you ask me. Do we need to stand so close? I’m getting splashed.”

“There’s heating in the dress shop if you want to warm up.” Veronica and I are startled by the sudden appearance of a teenager. She giggles at our surprised expressions, “Did I scare you?”

“Uh… kinda.” I study her appearance: she’s very fair skinned, light blonde hair that cascades down her petite form in lush waves. She appears to be no older than 13, but something about her eyes tells me otherwise. They are striking, yet they seem abnormal. Icy blue is not the best description because there seems to almost be a hint of grey in them, but grey is too dull a color for what I’m seeing.

The girl pouts, like she feels bad, “Sorry, I tend to do that a lot.”

“It’s fine, I guess. Just try to be more careful next time, we’ve had a rough couple days.” I say. She remains quite sheepish until I press more, “Who are you here with? Need help finding your family?”

“Don’t tell me they left you alone and went off partying!” Veronica jumps in.

The girl livens up, “No! I live here, it’s me and my big brother.”

“How can you guys live here? It’s a hotel, not an apartment complex.” Veronica sounds as perplexed as I feel.

“Lucian is my big brother! He owns the hotel so he makes the rules.”

Hold the front fucking door.

“Wait… you’re Noel? Lucian’s sister?” This _kid_ is who Lucian was talking about last night? The one who runs a dress shop? She’s barely a teenager!

Her face lights up, “He told you about me? Are you the new girls that he brought in last night? Lucian was talking about you two earlier this morning.” She huddles us closer together and whispers in a cheeky voice, “Which one of you did he sleep with?”

“Wait, whoa, hold on there, it was nothing like _that_!” Veronica is giving me the most disappointed scowl as I try to save the conversation. “We didn’t sleep together, I needed to have someone… hang out nearby because another person snuck into my room. I don’t know what your brother told you, but Lucian was there making sure I was safe.”

“Right,” Veronica starts, still uncertain which version of the story is true “I’m sure that’s all that happened.”

“ _Cállate_ , Veronica!”

“We can talk more inside the shop, come on! I’ll get you both some dresses to try on!”

“We’ll be there in a moment, take your time, kid.” Noel skips back into her shop and rummages through the racks, and Veronica steps in front of me not looking pleased in the slightest. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

“Me?! What are you talking about? I told you nothing happened last night! Noel’s just a kid, she probably heard him wrong or doesn’t understand the innuendo.”

“Bianca, I’d be more inclined to believe you if your body count was not in the double digits. Don’t give me that look! I’m not judging you, I’m just saying previous encounters have led to the same outcome.”

“I swear on my life nothing remotely sexual happened between us. Yes, I may sleep around, but have you ever known me to lie?” Veronica shakes her head. “Great! So do you believe me?”

“Alright, so you didn’t sleep with him. I guess my next big question is-?”

“Why is a 13 year old running a dress store?”

Veronica’s eyebrow peaks. “Sure, let’s go with that.”

We follow Noel’s path into the store where she already has dressing rooms open with gowns waiting for us. Noel is bouncing with excitement as we search through the dresses she’s picked out for us. For sure we can’t buy a single one, but we indulge her in wanting to make us feel special. “Noel, we really appreciate you wanting us to model these for you, but you know we can’t buy any of these, right?”

“Yeah, I know. Lucian told me not to push it, but I still want to see you wear them! Everyone else here is so _old_ , they wear such boring colors. Only a few people have bought some of my clothes.” She says in dismay.

I flip through at least four different colored gowns before settling on white and gold fitted 2 piece. “These designs are quite eccentric, who designs them?”

“Most of the vintage items towards the back are pieces Lucian and I have picked up over the years, but a lot of the new stuff I make.”

You’ve gotta be kidding me.

“Say that again, kid?” Veronica peeks her head out of her dressing room, just as dumbfounded as me.

“I make most of the stuff I sell here. There isn’t much to do around here since Lucian won’t let me help with the important business, so I do some sewing.” She is so nonchalant about the masterpieces she’s letting us sample like it’s common for teenagers to be able to smoke all of Project Runway in one episode. Soon I know there will be nothing that happens in this hotel that surprises me anymore, but today is not the day. “Go ahead and try yours on, Bianca.”

“You know our names.” I state more than ask.

“Lucian told me a lot about you guys.”  
“Of course he did. But what do you mean by ‘a lot’?”

An air of discomfort settles over her, but she avoids the question. “Less talk, more changing!” Before I have a chance to press for answers, I’m shoved into a moderately sized room with a large mirror and plenty of rack space. It’s gonna be a long day.

I hang up the dress as I strip down to my underwear, tossing my clothes onto the bench in front of the wall to wall mirror. My bra is the last to go, and I can’t help but pause and look myself over in the mirror. It’s been a hot minute since I’ve been able to look at myself full body; most of the places we stay have only one to two mirrors, I’ve just about forgot what I look like. The scar from the ovarian removal surgery is healing alright, not as bad as it looked three months ago. Doctors told me I shouldn’t exert myself through exercise for at least a month post surgery, and getting into a strict routine after that wasn’t easy, so I’m not as toned in my stomach as I used to be. All the walking we’ve done for the past few weeks has paid off though, hips are still full and butt is still shapely. My boobs are sore from having to wear a bra constantly and sometimes I curse them for their size, but yoga keeps them perky and keeps my waist relatively small. Overall I’m satisfied with how I look, especially one year post op.

Looking at the two piece, I’m concerned that I may fall in love with it, which is the last thing my bank account needs right now. I shimmy my hips into the trumpet skirt and manage to slip into the bustier top. It’s a snug fit, but it makes me look pretty damn good.

“Bianca, are you ready? Come show me and Veronica!” I take a strong inhale, hold it, then let it pass. The metal rings holding the curtain shriek as I draw it back, and so does Noel. She looks incredibly proud of herself as she circles me. “I love how this looks on you! What do you think about it?”

“A stellar choice, dear sister.” Our heads snap in the direction of the entrance where Lucian is relaxing against the doorframe, his eyes scanning Veronica and I up and down.

“Thanks, Lucian! What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be asleep?” asks Noel.

“I _run_ the hotel, Noel, I’m not a guest here. There’s no time for me to be sleeping in till noon, unlike you. Surprised you’re up and running the shop.” Lucian ignores Noel’s protest to his jibe and walks to Veronica, taking her hand to guide her in a twirl and admiring her silver lace and tulle ball gown. “I must admit, when you put your mind into dressing people up, you do a wonderful job, sister.”

Noel scoffs at him, “Only because you won't let me do anything else.”

“I let you into the kitchens for one day and you cracked within 15 minutes.” He continues.

“It’s not my fault! The chef kept teasing me with all the blood!”

“Ok, I’m with you on that kid,” I say, “that’s just fucked up.”

“My point is: I knew you’d be a good designer based on how much you’d dress your dolls up as a child. This is best for you, but that won’t keep you safe from my teasing.” Lucian pinches her side and she squeaks, hiding behind me. Lucian gets distracted by my dress, leaving Noel to scurry off around the shop. He takes my hand and pulls me close, admiring more than the dress I think. “My, my, what a fine job she’s done, indeed.”

I kick myself for it, but I can’t help but smile. “Do you do anything else other than flirt with your female guests?”

Lucian takes my chin between his fingers so I have no choice but to look into his eyes. “Of course I do, but I only flirt with the ones I like.” His grip is firm, but not threatening, as I look into his eyes. Like Noel’s, they are a striking shade of blue, but Lucian’s are dark and pigmented to the point where they look purple. Before I know it, his hold on my chin lets up and I’m able to pull away. “Forgive me,” he starts, “I got distracted.”

“You’re fine, don’t worry about it. What did you come down here for, by the way?”

“Ah yes, now I remember. I wanted to make sure Noel is on track with making her dress and my suit for the All Hallows Eve Ball at the end of the week.” As he says this, he searches for Noel, making sure she heard him.

“You people are so extra here,” Veronica laughs, “but it’s something I think I can get used to.”

Lucian’s face lights up, “You are both invited of course. And I know what you’re going to say, but I’ve already discussed it with Noel-”

“You can borrow any dress you like for the ball!” Noel jumps out from the back room with a tuxedo bag in hand. “It was my idea to invite you in the first place.” She sticks out her tongue at her brother.

“That is a lie, it was always my intention to invite you, she just got to the point faster than I did when we were conversing last night.”

Noel counters with, “Ok, maybe, but it was my idea to let you borrow whatever you want! Or I can make it! Please say you’ll let me make them!”

Veronica and I can’t stop ourselves from snickering at the sibling banter, quite frankly it sounds like us sometimes. After getting the two to quit trying to show each other up, we agree to attend the ball at the end of the week.


End file.
